As the promise of nearshoring piques the interest of apparel and textile companies, the Maroc in Mode – Maroc Sourcing trade show couldn’t be held at a more fitting time.
Taking place Oct. 17-18 in Marrakech, Morocco, this year’s show will serve as a showcase for the region’s opportunities, hosting approximately 200 suppliers and an expected 1,500 attendees across 53,000-plus square feet.
Trade uncertainty is provoking more brands and retailers to re-examine their supply chains, prompting the show’s organizers to center its conference programming around the benefits to be had with closer-to-home operations. Morocco, naturally, will be highlighted as one such solution, with its specialties including knits, denim and technical textiles.
The region’s infrastructure has grown thanks to an influx of foreign investments, according to Maroc in Mode’s organizers, which noted that the country includes more than 1,600 companies and over 190,000 garment workers—combining for an annual production capacity upward of 1 billion items. The Moroccan Textile Federation intends to create 62,500 new jobs and increase sales by $1.67 billion by 2020.
A McKinsey & Company study conducted in partnership with Sourcing Journal found that 79 percent of respondents believe nearshoring will increase by 2025. Morocco is touted by the show’s organizers as an attractive sourcing destination because of its close proximity to Europe and thus shorter delivery routes, lessened ecological impact, stable political and social environments, and duty-free EU agreements.
Organized by Moroccan Association for the Textile and Clothing Industries (AMITH), the Moroccan Foreign Trade Ministry and Morocco’s Investment and Trade Agency (AMDIE), this year’s Maroc by Mode – Maroc Sourcing show will be held at the Moulay Hassan Circuit Exhibition Park and will be segmented into five categories: fast fashion, denim, jersey/knit/lingerie, sportswear/leisure wear/technical garments, and leather/shoes.